Suggested Curriculum for 'Complex Websites' Class?

StudMuffin asks: "I teach graduate computer science courses at a Big 10 university to grad students, who have never programmed before and are studying Human-Computer Interaction or other Information Science specialties. These courses are usually their first dip into the programming pool, so we have tons to cover in three months. This fall, I have been asked to take over and redesign our 'Complex Website' course, which is getting a bit long in the tooth. This course has traditionally been about database backed websites with server-side scripting. My only requirements are that there be coverage of PHP and that we have basic instruction about persistence using a database (which must be MySQL). However, I believe that the nature of 'complex' websites has changed, with XHTML, CSS, Javascript, web services, and so on. Sites like Google Maps make the browser feel like a fat client and are making the web browser a true window onto enormous data sets, and take into consideration the MoRAS of small views on large worlds. What do Slashdot readers consider a reasonable curriculum would be for a redesigned course like this?"

Comments

Compare & Contrast Various Technologies

[mrighi]

I'm a corporate trainer who teaches a lot of server-side Java classes (Servlets/JSP/EJB/etc). I've found it necessary to spend a little bit of time comparing Java and the J2EE platform to "competing" technologies such as .NET, PHP, Ruby on Rails, etc.

It's okay to spend 95% of the class using PHP, but be sure to include a discussion of how PHP compares to alternative technologies. Knowing how to use a technology can be equally important as knowing where the technology fits into the "big picture."

Explain things like:

Database Options

• MySQL (open source, usually free)
• Oracle (powerful, but expensive)
• SQL Server (buggy, less expensive)

Server Side Scripting

• PHP
• Java Server Pages (Requires J2EE)
• Active Server Pages (Requires .NET)

Server Side Frameworks

• Rails
• J2EE
• .NET